


Something Borrowed

by kingdomkeeperofthelibrary



Category: The Librarians (TV 2014)
Genre: Dear old Granny is dying, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Oklahoma, Slow Burn, fake engagement
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-22
Updated: 2017-10-06
Packaged: 2019-01-04 04:08:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12161229
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kingdomkeeperofthelibrary/pseuds/kingdomkeeperofthelibrary
Summary: When Jake gets an invitation to Oklahoma for his beloved grandmother’s  90th birthday, he accepts and when Cassie senses his nervousness, she buys a plane ticket on his flight and insists on joining him. But it turns out his grandma is dying, and, on an impulse, Cassandra announces they are engaged to please her. Now these two Librarians and best friends must navigate their way through all the secrets and lies. But what happens when real feelings start to take the place of the made-up ones? How do you hide a relationship and fake one at the same time? And what does it mean when they’re actually faced with the reality of the altar?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Ciao everybody! I've been dreaming this up for a bit and finally am in a good place to publish it! My favorite Jassandra fics have always been the Oklahoma-centric ones, and so I finally decided to write one of my own! This is also my first time trying my hand at fake-dating. I'm hoping it goes well! This'll be lightly based off of one of my favorite rom-coms, "One Small Hitch" as well as fake-engagement movies in general. I hope you enjoy it!

"Let me in the wall, you built around

We can light a match and burn them down"

                                                                                                                                                - _Dust to Dust_ , The Civil Wars

* * *

          Cassandra was sitting at the Annex conference table one morning when Jake walked in and started walking through the room.

“Morning Jacob!” she piped. Jake simply let out a grunt and continued walking around the annex.

“Jacob,” she repeated, thinking maybe he just hadn’t heard her. When he failed to answer her again, she got up and walked in his line of sight.

“Hello?” she said, waving her hand in front of his face.

Jake looked up at her and stared for a few seconds, but still said nothing. Cassandra simply crossed her arms and waited for him to realize what happened.

“Are you alright?” she asked.

“I’m…” he started. “Have you seen my blue tie? I think I left it here after we had to go find the artifact at that banquet.”

With this he started moving around the room again, searching through piles of paper and books, leaning to look underneath the conference table a couple of times.

“Jake.” Cassandra said again, concerned now.

He finally stopped walking around and looked at her.

“What the hell is going on with you?” she asked.

“Why does there need to be something going on with me?” he snapped.

“Because I tried to say good morning to you three times and you’re running around the annex like Flynn when he forgets date night with Eve.”

Jake stopped for a moment before shaking off the past few minutes.

“I’m sorry Cassie,” he said. “I’m just uh…freaking out a little bit at the moment.”

“Well come sit down a second. I made some tea.” Cassandra said.

Jake followed her over to the conference table, running his hand through his hair. He sat down and she poured him a cup of tea in silence. He picked up the cup at held it, letting it warm his hands, though he didn’t drink. As the steam hit his nose his physical panic subsided, and his thoughts started to fill his mind again.

“Are you okay?” Cassandra asked, leaning forward towards him.

“My sister called me yesterday,” Jake explained, looking down at the table. “My gran is tuning 90 this weekend and they’re having a big birthday dinner, and they want all the grandkids there. And don’t get me wrong; I love my gran! And my siblings and cousins are great and I miss ‘em it’s just…the idea of going home has got me a little….”

“On edge?” Cassandra said, an understanding smile on her face.

Jake smirked weakly and looked back down at his tea. After a moment, Cassandra reached out and placed her hand on his arm, causing him to startle and look-up at her.

“Hey, I get it.” she said softly.

“I know.” he whispered.

Their eyes met across the table and they smiled softly at each-other. They’d certainly had enough late night conversations for him to know that her family was no cup of tea either, worse than his really. He almost felt wrong complaining to her. But then again, she never let him believe that his struggles were worth anything less than anyone else’s.

“You’re gonna get through it Jacob.” Cassandra continued. “I know you can. And you’re braver than me. My tumor’s been healed for months and I still haven’t called my parents.”

“That’s different Cassie.”  

“How?”

“You’re brave for just mentioning those people’s names! And you shouldn’t have to call them or be afraid of them either! They don’t deserve you!”

Cassandra started at Jake judgingly until he shrugged away, realizing that in defending her, he had made it sound like he’d solved his own problem.

“I know,” he said. “But, whether I know I’m worth it or not, it doesn’t change the fact that I haven’t seen anyone except my pop since I came to the Library, and I don’t know how I’m gonna handle it.”

“Hey!” Cassandra said. She grabbed his wrist again and wouldn’t continue until he looked at her.

“Family ain’t easy.” she said, reiterating his own mantra that he’d used so often. “But you’ve gotten through so many things that aren’t easy. And no matter what you choose to tell anyone, you know who you are at the end of the day.”

Jake smiled at her, more brightly than he had so far. She always knew the right thing to say and always knew how to calm his fears.

“Thanks Cassie.” he said.

With a final exchange and a nod of understanding, Jake stood up to continue looking for his tie.

“Hey, if worst comes to worst, I’m always a phone call away.” Cassandra said.

They smiled at each-other again and Cassandra continued the research she’d been working on while Jake continued to scour the room for his tie.

* * *

 

            The following afternoon, Jake was checking he had everything right before heading to the airport, when someone knocked at his door. Confused, he opened it to find Cassandra standing there, toting a big pink duffle bag and a flowery suitcase with her.

“Cassie wha..” he started, but before he could respond, she pushed herself into the apartment.

“I made a decision.” she said, stopping in the middle of his living room and standing up tall. “I’m coming with you.”

“You’re what?” he exclaimed, still trying to process her showing up at his door at all.

“I bought a ticket last night on your flight to Tulsa! Now hurry up we should get to the airport soon.”

“Cassie what the hell are you talking about?!” Jake exclaimed. .

“Well, I figure,” Cassandra said, walking to Jake’s fridge and taking out a soda without asking him. “I told you I’d only be a phone-call away, but it would be even better if I could be right there with you! Right?”

She tossed him a beer before closing the fridge, startling him as he caught it. He stared into space for a moment before confusedly opening the beer as she sat down on the edge of his coffee table and sipped her coke.

“Cassie I really appreciate all this,” he said. “But I can’t ask you to come all the way to Oklahoma with me. I’m gonna be gone for close to a week and I’m sure Baird’s crazy enough already with just one of us gone for that long!”

“Well my vacation time is my vacation time!” Cassandra insisted. “She can’t tell me what to do with it! And maybe I _wanna_ go to Oklahoma! Before the Library, I’d never even left New York!”

Jake shook his head as if trying to find something else to say, to discourage her from coming with him, but he failed to come up with another excuse.

“We’re a team Jacob,” she said. “We’ve said it before and you and I both know it. I don’t want you to have to go this thing alone, because I wouldn’t want to go it alone. I want to be there for you. So at the end of the day, you can have someone to talk to about Native American literature over a cup of coffee.”

Jake smiled weakly. He certainly couldn’t contest her after a speech like that. But panic filled his chest. It wasn’t that he didn’t want her there: God he wanted her there; it would make the whole ordeal ten times easier just to see her smile every morning. More-so, he was afraid of what his family would say to her, do to her. A few seconds with his father had confirmed for him how a girl like Cassandra would be received at home, and he didn’t want to see that happen again.

Cassandra was too proud to back down from something for fear of any of this, he knew that. He also knew she didn’t fully understand the extent to which it could reach. The last thing he wanted was for her to be crying in the middle of Duke’s bar and for it to be his fault. Taking her with him was just selfish, he knew that; but looking at the smile on her face, he knew she wasn’t backing down.

“Alright,” he finally agreed. Cassandra let out a little cheer. “You can come with me. Let’s just get out of here now. I’ve got a cab waiting downstairs.”

“It’ll be great Jacob I promise.” Cassandra said, picking up her bags. “Maybe we’ll even manage to have a little fun!”

She wrapped her packed arms around him in a quick hug, before running towards the apartment door. Jake smiled and felt a bit lighter knowing she was by his side in this. And the fear wasn’t gone, but at the same time he was comforted knowing he had a friend by his side.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Sorry I didn't post last week. I was going through another weird spot. Still am some days, but I felt confident in sharing this chapter today! I've had it written for a little while now. Enjoy!

A few hours later, Jake and Cassandra were boarding the plane. Looking down at her ticket, Cassandra saw they’d reached the row where her seat was.

“I guess this is me.” she said shyly.

The time in between this morning and now had been awkward, as it really started to hit her what exactly she was doing. Alone with Jacob for almost a week, seeing each-other early in the morning and late at night. It wasn’t like she actually liked him or anything, but she’d be lying if she said she’d never thought about it before and she certainly wasn’t blind to the fact that things had happened between them in the past. She’d forced herself so many times to shove those things off, but now there was an opportunity for them to happen over and over again.

“I’m back here.” Jake said, pointing two rows down the aisle.

 _Alright_ Cassandra thought. _At least I get the plane ride alone to sort myself out._

Just then, a voice sounded from next to her.

“I wouldn’t mind switching if you two wanna sit together!”

She looked over and saw a young woman smiling at her from the window seat.

“Oh!” Cassandra said. “You don’t have to do that. I don’t wanna put you out of your way you’ve already got your luggage overhead and everything!”

“It’s really no trouble. I need a random act of kindness for the day anyway!”

Before Cassandra could say anything else, the girl had taken down her bag and walked back to Jake’s row.

“Have a great day you two!” she said.

Jake and Cassandra stood flabbergasted.

“Thanks.” Jake said straightly. He looked at Cassandra and shrugged before they put their luggage up top and took their seats.

* * *

 

            It was a five hour flight; the pay-per-view movies were too expensive to consider bothering with, and boredom had settled in. Jake had tried to throw himself into his research, but somehow, that only reminded him more of going home, and he wasn’t getting anywhere with it. He really wanted to kick himself at the thought of what he was getting himself into here, but it was too late to turn back now.

“So what’s your Grandma like?”

He turned to Cassandra. They hadn’t spoken much and the flight was only halfway through. He wondered what inspired her to finally break the awkward silence, but her encouraging smile made him release a sigh and open right up; just like she always did.

“She’s my ma’s ma.” Jake explained. “She was always a little different from everyone else in my family. I felt a little freer around her you know? She was always there for me.”

“She must be pretty special for you to fly all the way out to Oklahoma for her birthday.” Cassandra said happily.

“Yeah she’s pretty great.” Jake said.

His face brightened as he remembered all the moments he’d had with his Grandma growing up. She’d always be the first to ask him how his day was going. If he’d gotten into an argument with his father, hers was always the house he knew he was safe to run to, and she’d wrap him in a blanket and give him some icecream and let him stay until she knew herself that everything had calmed down.

“She was one of the few reasons I was able to stay in that place as long as I did.” he explained. Cassie watched him with soft and intrigued eyes. “She was always so nice to me, and she never asked me to do anything or be anything specific. I wasn’t an academic but I wasn’t no oil-rigger either: I was just her grandson.”

“That sounds like my Grandpa.” Cassie said. “He just wanted me to be a kid.”

Jake smiled, grateful to not be the only person recounting his past.

“It’s more than just any of that though,” he explained, remembering what he’d said to himself when he decided to go home. “She’s all I got left of my ma.”

“You never told me much about your mother.” Cassandra said, adjusting herself in her seat.

She’d moved closer and closer to him as the conversation had gone on. She was so comfortable. She was starting to think that maybe this week wouldn’t be so scary after all. In all her fear, she’d forgotten how comfortable it was to just sit and talk with him. Maybe this week would just feel like a whole week of that.

“Ah she was my favorite person.” Jake continued. “No one, not even my gran, loved me more, I’m sure of that. Ma just couldn’t show it as much because of my pop, but I think if we’d ben alone…maybe my life could’ve turned out a whole lot different.”

“Did she know?”

“She never told me, but I think she did. You know…I’d find books left on the edge of my bed when I went back to my room at night, or there’d be an extra scoop of mac-and-cheese on my plate at dinner after report-cards came out.”

Cassandra said nothing, but simply nodded at him, like she often did when they were simply in a place of understanding. When two people shared such similar pasts, sometimes saying nothing was the clearest way to say everything.

“It’s nice that you had at least that.” she said, thinking of her own childhood, and how much better even the smallest things made life. “And I’m glad I can meet your Grandma.”

“Yeah,” Jake said. “I’m glad too.”

* * *

 

            Later in the flight, Cassandra had dozed off on Jake’s shoulder. He hadn’t woken her, knowing that in their job it was impossible to ever not be behind on sleep, and she looked too peaceful anyway. He’d caved and bought the cheapest movie on the pay-for-view and was right at the climax of some boring chick flick he was sure Cassandra would’ve loved, when the pilot’s voice came over the intercom, announcing their preparation for landing.

Cassandra jolted awake and took in her surroundings, at first not remembering what had transpired that day. As she processed the plane and then Jacob sitting next to her, it all came flooding back.

 _Right_ she thought. _That’ll teach me to watch “random act of kindness” lectures right before bed_.

“Morning sleepy-head.” Jake teased. Cassandra groaned and rolled her eyes.

“What time is it?” she asked.

“Well, our time it’d be around 7:30 so in Tulsa…it’s around 9:30”

Cassandra groaned again and sat up, flopping back in her seat.

“Damn Cassie I know you’re not a morning person but I didn’t know that translated to naps too.” he teased, laughing. She flashed him her devil eyes and he immediately shut-up.

She began digging through her bag then, and he looked at her confused.

“Whatcha doin’ there Cass?” he asked.

“Looking for Advil.” she said angrily. “Unfortunately the departure of the brain-grape did not also mean the departure of chronic migraines.”

Jake felt immediately bad for forgetting that she dealt with things like that, things he didn’t ever have to even begin thinking about. The plane started to lower as Cassandra swigged back some pills, and the pop in Jake’s ears was soon accompanied by a knot in his stomach: _this was it_.

Cassandra must have noticed his change in demeanor immediately, because she reached out and grabbed his arm again, just like she had done the night before. He swallowed hard and breathed deep.

 _Welcome home_ he thought.

* * *

 

            Jake and Cassandra walked off the tarmac and immediately, Jake recognized his sister in the crowd of greeters. She was unmissable, standing close to the front and waving her hands high up in the air.

“Jacob!” she shouted. “Over here!”

Jake grabbed Cassandra’s hand and she squeezed it as she followed him over to meet the woman yelling at them. When they arrived, before anyone said anything, the woman rushed forward and wrapped her arms tightly around Jake.

Jake returned the embrace lightly and exhaled, almost sounding comforted. When they broke apart from each other, the woman immediately punched him in the arm.

“Owwe!” he exclaimed.

“ _Two and a half years_.” she exclaimed. “Two and half years and I don’t get to see my little brother!”

“Yeah well I meant to come visit,” Jake said, rubbing his arm. Behind him, Cassandra suppressed a giggle. “But things get busy down in Texas.”

“You better be careful.” she said. “I might not let you go back.”

In her laughter, Jake’s sister just then noticed Cassandra standing behind him.

“Who’s this?” she asked, her voice getting slightly higher.

“Oh,” Cassandra and Jake both started, trying quickly to find a way to explain themselves. Cassandra walked forward, ready to reject whatever she knew was about to be suggested.

“Jakey you didn’t tell me you were bringing a girl home with you!”

“Oh no she’s not…”

“Are the Texas girls you date different from the Oklahoma ones?” Jake’s sister asked. She turned to Cassandra. “I’m sure my brother didn’t tell ya he’s always been a _real_ skirt chaser.”

“Ada!” Jake exclaimed. Everything stopped, and there was finally a moment to breathe.

“This is my _friend_ , Cassandra Cillian.” he said. “We work together and she’d never seen Oklahoma so I told her she could come along.”

Ada stood with her hand on her hip and didn’t say a word. Her eyes said that she wasn’t buying Jake’s story. Well she wasn’t wrong that it was a lie…she was just wrong about which part of it was the lie.

“Cassandra,” Jake said. “This is my big sister Addie.”

“I told you not to call me Addie!” Ada said through her teeth, laughing.

“I told you not to call me _Jakey_.”

The challenge having taken them off topic, Ada finally gave up on her push for information and turned around.

“Come on,” she said. “Bag check is over this way.”

Jake and Cassandra exchanged a nervous look before following Ada and hoping that the question at hand didn’t come up again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next week we meet the next few members of Jake's family! See you then! And look out for a possible couple more fics from me. Thanks for all your love and support as always! Love ya synestorians!

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you're all ready to go on this journey together! For now, because today is Friday, I'm gonna say chapters will be published on Friday, but with school and the ups and downs of the slump, that might not be totally regular, but I will totally try my best! Thanks for reading my LITs! Stay magical!


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